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Let’s Talk STARLINK

Discussion in 'General Yachting Discussion' started by DOCKMASTER, Jun 19, 2022.

  1. ychtcptn

    ychtcptn Senior Member

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    I'm hearing reports that the latest update will put the antenna in stow mode if it senses a lot of movement. This will avoid the hack of turning the motors off.
  2. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    Actually that sounds counter intuitive. When in stow the antenna is vertical and incapable of use.
    What they would do is put the dish in horizontal mode and then disable.
    Time will tell if they do that.
  3. Gulfer

    Gulfer Member

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  4. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Back on the UPS comments. After years of trying different office UPS's, Inverters and gen-sets,;

    Don't get upset when the small / medium office UPS does not like the gen-set or inverter signal and fails to go into by-pass mode and recharge itself.
    Our APC brand, UPS office equipment looked for any defects in the incoming ACv power signal and goes to battery mode very quickly.
    If it does not see a perfect ACv signal return, it will not go back to the supply ACv and it's battery(s) will die.
    Finally, I modified our ACv panel with a big inverter to cover near all 115Vac outlets in the boat and did away with the small office UPS's.

    Seems the inverters are more tolerant of gen-set wave forms than office UPS devices.

    Our UPS equipment went to our shop, shop's office, now with fresh batteries in the shore side house. It's funny during a clear day, my UPS at my desk sometimes clicks on/off.
    I can check the log on one of them now, yep, a sag in the house feed. The whole house kept running and lights never blinked but these sensitive devices are on the ball. Just to sensitive to work on a boats gen-set.

    Just trying to help.
    Last edited: Jul 6, 2022
  5. TahoeJohn

    TahoeJohn Member

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    Mine appears to be doing that now (going horizontal while underway).
  6. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    I think that might just be current circumstances, I moved yesterday from Sorel Que. to Montreal about 40 miles. Mine is still operating in a point and shoot mode.

    In preparation for my installation inside my outdated kvh C3 dome I've drilled a hole in the back to disconnect the motors, part of that process is make the dish go horizontal.
    So I'll be playing with this over the next few days.
  7. brunick

    brunick Senior Member

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  8. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    You'll notice in the pictures they're using the same dishes as currently on the market. Except the
    Motors are probably turned off as it's position is horizontal.

    $5K a month gives ultimate priority and access to the new laser birds so you can cross oceans.
  9. German Yachting

    German Yachting Senior Member

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    Read it will be $5k a month and $10k for the equipment.
  10. Slimshady

    Slimshady Senior Member

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    Can't post link but good article in wall street journal today about fight between starlink and dish.
  11. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    I haven't seen evidence of this. If so, I would be a candidate.
  12. German Yachting

    German Yachting Senior Member

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    You can with the new maritime version.
  13. Ken Bracewell

    Ken Bracewell Senior Member

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    There is a pretty large swath of ocean, each side of the equator, which doesn't have coverage. Looks OK for typical transAtlantic, but a typical yacht transPacific isn't covered.
  14. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    I suspect you're correct on the Pacific, however the N. Atlantic is shaded in the blue that says it's available. I suspect the new laser communicating birds are allowing this, as they pass signals to each other to eventually pass to a ground station.
  15. GPO

    GPO Member

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    Website is light on detail:

    (1) I'd like to better understand the difference between the marine hardware and the RV hardware. Hard to reconcile the price difference without more facts.
    (2) Monthly subscription seems steep. Again, how much better is the marine service versus the RV service?

    Not all of us are crossing oceans in mega yachts (with large operating budgets).

    Final thought - given what I've seen thus far (hardware and subscription) I don't see that big a difference between Starlink and a conventional sat system that I've spec'd for my modest flybridge. What am I missing?
  16. Slimshady

    Slimshady Senior Member

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    It's way cheaper and faster than traditional sat.
    Marine has 2 transceivers and gets priority over others so speeds don't slow.
    I agree with your thoughts, most boaters would be plenty happy with rv speeds, costs and use.
    We're taking delivery of new boat shortly and trying to quickly figure out what to install. We're not happy with directv and wifi for other connections doesn't work well.
  17. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    I've been running the RV on the boat now for 7 weeks, I'm thoroughly impressed. The slowest I've seen is 20mps the fastest about 200, average is 80mps. For the typical boater that's perfectly fine, I stream everything I would at home, removing my kvh when I can, it's now obsolete.

    As to weather, they're designed to be outside and operating, at $600 if I replace it every 3 years it's a no brainer.
    And don't forget, you can turn it off when boat is layed up.
  18. gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    If you have time to post a photo of your install I would like to see that. I saw a few that seem to be just sitting on a flat hartop and sticking up like a sore thumb. Not that connectivity trumps appearance but I do consider that with kit on top of my boat.
  19. MBevins

    MBevins Senior Member

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    I haven't gotten any pictures as I received my unit 2 days before cruising departure. So my quick temp install was to strap it to the top of my life raft case which sits on my aft hardtop. I'm scheduled to sit in one spot for a couple of weeks first of August, at that point I'll stick it inside my kvh C3 dome.

    This is the older low profile that was out a few years back, don't use it so it's getting cannibalized and I'll put the de-motored flat dish inside it.

    Many people are just putting the existing stand and inside domes as long as they're the 24" version.
    gr8trn likes this.
  20. gr8trn

    gr8trn Senior Member

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    Yes, I recall you mentioned that earlier, my apologies for having you explain your plan once again:) I like your plan to be sure. I have an dome that may need new innards too.